Microsoft Launches Windows Server 2016

Microsoft launches Windows Server 2016 at Ignite conference in Atlanta. This is the newest release of server operating system released by Microsoft. Windows Server 2016 was first released as Tech Preview version where the users could evaluate the OS. The latest release of Windows Server 2016 comes packed with lot’s of features. Microsoft also mentions that a lot of feedback from customers have been heard and the features are brought in Windows Server 2016. As per Microsoft, more than half a million devices were on Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5. Server 2016 is a cloud ready OS, it’s a great OS to run your traditional applications. The OS provides customers the flexibility to run them on-prem or in Azure cloud.

What’s new in Windows Server 2016

It would be really interesting to know what new features windows server 2016 brings with it.

New Deployment Options – Adds more flexibility and control to your datacenter and thereby lowers the costs with software-defined compute, storage, and networking. The is a new install option called Nano Server where the resource usage is reduced with lightweight nano server.

Cloud Ready Application Platform – Windows Server 2016 allows you to run both exisiting and cloud apps, it could be on-prem or in Azure.

Download Windows Server 2016

The Windows Server 2016 is available in Technet and is available for evaluation beginning today. You need to sign in to download Windows Server 2016.

When you reach the download page, the ISO evaluation is available for download. You need to select either Datacenter or Standard edition. When you install Windows Server 2016, you see 3 install options.

Server Core option – This install includes the core components of Windows Server. This option supports all server roles but there is no GUI.

Server with GUI (Desktop Experience) – This includes complete server installation and has GUI feature added. This is the option which most of the customer choose during installation.

Nano Server – This is a new install option and it is more like server core but it’s significantly smaller. As a customer you could download the ISO and choose Nano server as install option. The other way is download Nano server VHD and use it. To see what’s new in windows server 2016 in depth click this link.

I am Prajwal Desai and I have been working in the IT for over 8 years with a strong focus on Microsoft Server Technologies. For the last five years, as a System Administrator I have been working on Lync, SCCM, Vmware, VDI, Exchange, Windows Servers etc. I’m currently very interested in everything related to Azure, Configuration Manager, Lync, Windows Server and Exchange.